ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Walid al-Moualem, Syria’s foreign minister, told the UN General Assembly on Saturday that US, French and Turkish “occupying forces” must leave Syrian territory “immediately”. He also said Syria is ready to take back millions of refugees who fled the seven-year conflict.
Foreign forces “will be dealt with accordingly,” said Moualem, who is also Syria’s deputy prime minister. “They must withdraw immediately and without any conditions.”
The regime will continue “fighting this sacred battle until we purge all Syrian territories” of terrorist groups and “any illegal foreign presence,” he added.
The US operates roughly 2,000 troops and France a further 1,000 in the north of Syria in support of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are fighting the last remnants of ISIS East of the Euphrates River in Deir ez-Zor province and along the Iraqi border.
Turkey meanwhile operates forces in Afrin, after it seized the Kurdish enclave in March this year, and a sliver of territory to the west of the Euphrates. Ankara has also set up military observation posts in Idlib – the final holdout of the anti-regime armed opposition.
Damascus says the presence of these forces infringes upon Syria’s sovereignty. Russian and Iranian forces operating in support of the Syrian regime, meanwhile, were invited, it says.
Moualem said improvements in the security situation in regime controlled areas mean the country is ready to take back millions of refugees who fled the conflict.
“We welcome any assistance with reconstruction from those countries that were not part of the aggression on Syria,” Moualem told delegates.
“The countries that offer only conditional assistance or continue to support terrorism, they are neither invited nor welcome to help.”
Since the outbreak of war in 2011, more than six million Syrians have been internally displaced, according to the Pew Research Center. A further five million have fled to neighboring Middle Eastern countries and North Africa, one million to Europe, and a further 100,000 to nations outside Europe – mostly North America.
The UN estimates 360,000 people have died in the conflict.
Foreign forces “will be dealt with accordingly,” said Moualem, who is also Syria’s deputy prime minister. “They must withdraw immediately and without any conditions.”
The regime will continue “fighting this sacred battle until we purge all Syrian territories” of terrorist groups and “any illegal foreign presence,” he added.
The US operates roughly 2,000 troops and France a further 1,000 in the north of Syria in support of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are fighting the last remnants of ISIS East of the Euphrates River in Deir ez-Zor province and along the Iraqi border.
Turkey meanwhile operates forces in Afrin, after it seized the Kurdish enclave in March this year, and a sliver of territory to the west of the Euphrates. Ankara has also set up military observation posts in Idlib – the final holdout of the anti-regime armed opposition.
Damascus says the presence of these forces infringes upon Syria’s sovereignty. Russian and Iranian forces operating in support of the Syrian regime, meanwhile, were invited, it says.
Moualem said improvements in the security situation in regime controlled areas mean the country is ready to take back millions of refugees who fled the conflict.
“We welcome any assistance with reconstruction from those countries that were not part of the aggression on Syria,” Moualem told delegates.
“The countries that offer only conditional assistance or continue to support terrorism, they are neither invited nor welcome to help.”
Since the outbreak of war in 2011, more than six million Syrians have been internally displaced, according to the Pew Research Center. A further five million have fled to neighboring Middle Eastern countries and North Africa, one million to Europe, and a further 100,000 to nations outside Europe – mostly North America.
The UN estimates 360,000 people have died in the conflict.
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